The foundation stone was laid in 1893,[4] and the church was consecrated on 25 February 1897.[5] It was designed by Hubert Austin of the Lancaster architectural practice of Paley, Austin and Paley.[4][6] The church forms part of a group of buildings, also including the vicarage and schools, that were paid for by George Fearn, a local brewer.[4] The total cost of the church and its associated buildings is said to have been nearly £80,000 (equivalent to £11,260,000 in 2023).[7][8]
Architecture
Exterior
The church is constructed in Runcorn red sandstone.[5] Its architectural style is Perpendicular, with "traces of Art Nouveau".[5] Its plan consists of a six-baynave with a clerestory, north and south aisles, north and south porches, a tower at the crossing, and a chancel and sanctuary with a Lady Chapel to the north, an organ chamber to the south, and a vestry to the southeast.[5] The tower has an embattledparapet with corner pinnacles linked by flying buttresses to the spire. At the east end, flanking the windows, are large buttresses. The east and west windows have seven lights, and the windows along the sides of the nave have four lights.[4] The church is 180 feet (55 m) long and 75 feet (23 m) wide, the tower is 112 feet (34 m) high, and with the spire raises to 236 feet (72 m).[5]
In the churchyard is a sandstone memorial to the First World War dating from about 1920. It includes panels inscribed with the names of 137 men, a tall cross, and a statue of Saint George standing under a gabled, crocketedcanopy. It is listed at Grade II.[13] The churchyard wall, its gate piers, and the gate piers to the adjacent church school are also listed at Grade II.[14] In addition, the former vicarage to the church is listed in 1975 at Grade II. It was built in about 1920 in Arts and Crafts style. It is constructed in red brick with red roof tiles, and has two storeys.[15] It has since been described as being "ruinous".[4][8]
St George's Church, Stockport
West window of St George's Church, Stockport
East window of St George's Church, Stockport
The Great War Cross, St George's Church, Stockport
Brandwood, Geoff; Austin, Tim; Hughes, John; Price, James (2012), The Architecture of Sharpe, Paley and Austin, Swindon: English Heritage, ISBN978-1-84802-049-8